Oscar-winning music composer A.R. Rahman has sparked a significant controversy within the Indian film fraternity after suggesting that a 'communal thing' might be contributing to his reduced work opportunities in Bollywood over the past eight years. In an interview with BBC Asian Network, Rahman noted a 'power shift' where non-creative individuals hold sway and mentioned hearing 'Chinese whispers' about projects bypassing him. Reacting to these remarks, veteran lyricist and screenwriter Javed Akhtar expressed his disagreement, stating that he doesn't believe such communal bias exists in the industry. Akhtar suggested that Rahman's immense stature and frequent international commitments might lead smaller producers to hesitate in approaching him for projects, rather than any communal reasons. Adding to the debate, renowned author and columnist Shobhaa De strongly criticized Rahman's comment, calling it 'very dangerous'. De, with five decades of observing Bollywood, asserted that the industry is one where talent is the sole determinant of opportunity, irrespective of religion, and has historically remained free of communal tensions. Separately, actress Kangana Ranaut weighed in, accusing A.R. Rahman of being 'prejudiced and hateful'. Ranaut claimed that Rahman had refused to meet her for her directorial film 'Emergency', reportedly calling it a 'propaganda film'. Her comments followed Rahman's remarks on the film 'Chhaava', which he had labeled as 'divisive'. The controversy has ignited a broader discussion on power dynamics, artistic freedom, and alleged biases within the Hindi film industry.